Subaru built a devoted following in the 1990s. In the hands of British rally heroes Richard Burns and Colin McRae, the first-generation Impreza Turbo – soon renamed the WRX – clinched British and World Rally Championship titles, and enthusiasts could buy the very same car from showrooms.
The road versions came complete with the distinctive warbling flat-four engine, all-wheel drive, and that famous blue-and-gold livery. When tuning specialists like Prodrive and Subaru’s own Subaru Tecnica International stepped in, they produced some of the most thrilling performance cars of the decade. Then the troubles began.
Subaru’s appeal was spreading beyond UK sports-car fans to growing markets in the USA and Australia. Yet buyers there weren’t chasing turbocharged thrills; they wanted practical models like the Forester and Legacy Outback – early crossovers equipped with standard all-wheel drive. These vehicles suited snowy regions and rural lifestyles perfectly. Rallying had put Subaru on the global map, but family SUVs proved far more lucrative, prompting the company to pivot toward the customers who actually paid the bills.
The Impreza WRX lingers as a brand halo in a few markets, but SUVs now dominate Subaru’s worldwide volume. In Europe, the brand stumbled further by dragging its feet on efficient powertrains. A short-lived diesel experiment left it stuck with thirsty petrol engines that failed to meet tightening regulations or buyer expectations. Change, however, is underway.
A deepening partnership with Toyota has thrust electrification to the forefront, delivering models like the Solterra and Uncharted that sidestep emissions penalties and high fuel costs. They preserve Subaru’s reputation for durability and all-weather capability – qualities that resonate with the crossover and SUV buyers who drive most new-car demand. By weaving performance cues from its rally past into these newcomers, Subaru finally appears ready to court the UK market once more.
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